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The Society for the Discouragement of the Immanentization of the Eschaton ... presents ...
THE PLAYING-CARD ORACLE / Guaranteed Absolutely Without a Doubt to Work written by the Prophet ARCANA Transcribed from his own tongue and fingers into the tongue of ASCII __ \ __ / /\ \ / \ / ____ \/ /\ \ / / \ \____ \ /_/ /\_\ \ \ /_/ \_\
ORIGINS
ARCANA ARCANORUM came about on one summer's day when I was lazily pondering (as I often do) about the Universe. Surely, there must be some truth to the Tarot and similar methods Divination: they have been around for millennia; this proves that there must be something to them. I am a mathematician by trade, and it occurred to me that the divining power lies not in the Cards themselves, but in the fabric of space-time. Statistical laws imply that a deck, properly shuffled, will yield the same chance of a given Card being drawn. But the key to this axiom is that this is true -- but it is a law of averages; if you draw a Card from a deck ten thousand times, you'll find that each Card has roughly the same chances of being drawn. Equilibrium is the key; the key to Equilibrium is number. The key to Divination, I found, is in the Cards that are chosen at first. The Universe is forced to average the selection of a Card out with large numbers of drawings; but for small numbers, the Universe has a method to communicate with us, the sentient beings inside Her womb, waiting to be born. It dawned on me then that the deck of Cards (Tarot, Thoth, etc.) -- nay, even the method of Divination -is irrelevant. Whether you are throwing sticks on the ground, picking Cards from an ornately- decorated deck, or casting rune-inscribed dried clay markers, the effects are the same. The power to divine is in the person, not in the divining instrument. Thus came my Illumination: Why use a deck of Tarot Cards? Why cast runes? Why throw sticks and consult a chart? If it is true that the Diviner is important and not the medium, then it is unimportant which medium actually is used, and all things will return to Equilibrium, as they always have and always will. Hence ARCANA ARCANORUM, the Playing-Card Tarot, was born. If medium is not the message after all, then why not use a very simple, easy-to-understand, easily-obtained, inexpensive one? That is, the average deck of playing Cards that can be bought in any store.
THE DECK
The deck of the ARCANA ARCANORUM, like any other Divination method, has peculiarities that warrant further discussion. The deck is divided into four suits: the Spades, the Diamonds, the Clubs, and Hearts. Hereafter, the Spades will be known as Power; the Diamonds as Materiality; the Clubs as Spirituality; and the Hearts as Love. Also, each suit is divided into thirteen ranks: Ace through King. Each Card has a different meaning in ARCANA ARCANORUM. The Ace of a suit has the meaning of that suit -- for instance, the Ace of
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Diamonds means materiality. In general, the Two through the Ten indicate the concept of that suit to a lessening degree: That is, the Two of Spades has the meaning gain, while the Ten of Spades has the meaning defeat. The Face Cards (that is, the Jack, the Queen, and the King) each have meanings unrelated to this simple chain of degree (as often does life). Optionally one may insert two Jokers into the deck; these will be called Trumps. They should be distinguishable from each other. One Trump will be referred to as Life; the other as Death.
THE CARDS
Here follows individual meanings of each Card. ACE OF SPADES TWO OF SPADES POWER GAIN The energy that is within us all; the essential force of being. It cannot be denied. Physical and mental betterment; one's work is succeeding. Stability; disappearance of illness or decay. Lifting of oppression; the inner power of the individual stands unchained. Healthy conflict, bringing about the better of all parties involved. Lack of progress; mundanity. Embarrassment; a waste of human effort. The loss of something physical or mental. Taking one's position too seriously; overconfidence. Destruction of one's accomplishments or attempts; physical or mental reduction. The essential force in all things. Change can be for the better or for the worse; only the individual can decide which he or she wants. Opening up oneself to injury or to downfall. Triumph; physical or mental release. The physical; the temptations. Staying besides oneself or one's responsibilities. Being true to oneself and those around one. Giving to the needy, not necessarily in physical considerations. Material unrest; one is unsure of oneself. Further material unrest; one is starting to lose control of that which is in and around one. Work for nothing. That which will end us all if not put into its proper place. Unneeded prejudice; blindness. Lies, deceit, sin.
THREE OF SPADES HEALTH FOUR OF SPADES FIVE OF SPADES SIX OF SPADES SEVEN OF SPADES EIGHT OF SPADES NINE OF SPADES TEN OF SPADES JACK OF SPADES QUEEN OF SPADES KING OF SPADES ACE OF DIAMONDS TWO OF DIAMONDS THREE OF DIAMONDS FOUR OF DIAMONDS FIVE OF DIAMONDS SIX OF DIAMONDS FREEDOM COMPETITION MEDIOCRITY HUMILIATION LOSS ARROGANCE DEFEAT CHANGE VULNERABILITY VICTORY MATERIALITY LOYALTY HONESTY CHARITY CONFUSION ANXIETY
SEVEN OF FUTILITY DIAMONDS EIGHT OF FEAR DIAMONDS NINE OF DIAMONDS BIAS TEN OF DIAMONDS FRAUD
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JACK OF DIAMONDS QUEEN OF DIAMONDS KING OF DIAMONDS ACE OF CLUBS TWO OF CLUBS (or THE CIRCLE) THREE OF CLUBS FOUR OF CLUBS FIVE OF CLUBS SIX OF CLUBS SEVEN OF CLUBS EIGHT OF CLUBS NINE OF CLUBS TEN OF CLUBS JACK OF CLUBS QUEEN OF CLUBS KING OF CLUBS ACE OF HEARTS
PATIENCE VANITY CONTENTMENT SPIRITUALITY SIMPLICITY COMPREHENSION RESPONSIBILITY REFLECTION INNOCENCE DISAPPOINTMENT INSTABILITY STAGNATION IMMATURITY SHAME EQUILIBRIUM FORESIGHT LOVE
One of the greater things in life; one must learn to wait for what is coming to one. All things happen, given the right place and the right opportunity. Pettiness; personal materiality taken to the negative extreme. Happiness and solemnness with one's position in the world. That which is without, and yet within. All of us have the energy inside of ourselves, if we wish to let it out. The perfection of spirituality. The oneness and beauty of the circle; the solidarity and singularity of a point. Nothing is better. Understanding, cognition, positive thought energy. Taking care of one's commitments. Looking at one's own accomplishments and failures and feelings. The importance of this is not known to the nonspiritual. Naivete; failure to attempt to understand the world around one. Disappointment in oneself; unwarranted unhappiness in the world around one. Internal strife; the foundations within are crumbling. Fermentation; worthlessness. Failing to understand one's place in the world; taking for granted. Shame is dangerous. One need not be ashamed of oneself; there are many other things in this Universe that demand attention, and warrant more. The essential balance of the Universe. All was once in Equilibrium; one day, all will return. The ability to predict what is coming; an important attribute in any person. That communion between two souls, with a beauty that can never be forgotten or ignored. The meeting and joining of two souls. The chance for betterment that one should never miss or overlook. That spark of genius that arises when one is touched by love. Disinterest. One of the more dangerous of the evils. Disappointment in oneself or one's actions from a previous time. What is past is past. What is future is another thing. Dangerous self-involvement. It is healthy to wonder and wander among oneself -- but it is dangerous to take this too far.
TWO OF HEARTS (or INVOLVEMENT THE LOVERS) THREE OF HEARTS OPPORTUNITY FOUR OF HEARTS FIVE OF HEARTS SIX OF HEARTS INSPIRATION APATHY REGRET
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EIGHT OF HEARTS NINE OF HEARTS TEN OF HEARTS JACK OF HEARTS QUEEN OF HEARTS KING OF HEARTS (or THE SUICIDE KING) FIRST TRUMP SECOND TRUMP
Love taken for itself; love for another in spite of the other. Love is the sharing of two souls, not the stealing of one. Antipathy, often caused of failed or failing love. Loneliness; desperation; unending sadness. Obsession turned around; the stealing of a soul that is not one's to steal. Oh, the beauty of love! The taking of oneself, literally or figuratively, for selfish and worthless causes. Evolution, beauty, and harmony. Infinity. Stagnation, ugliness, and chaos. Zero.
THE DIVINATION
The Divination is the manner in which meaning and context are brought to a set of Cards. There are many different types of Divination with ARCANA ARCANORUM -- no method is "better" than any other (however, some are better at answering certain questions than others). A few different types are detailed below. It is probably best to use a fresh deck of Cards with each new subject. Divinations usually revolve around a question asked by the subject. "What will be the outcome of this situation?" is a common thread. A given Divination usually involves laying down the Cards in a certain array, attributing meaning to each position which holds a Card. Thus, one position might signify oneself; another might signify the future of oneself. The meaning of each Card is applied to the position it falls in. Divination is more of an art than anything else. The Diviner must key in on kinesic clues that would normally be invisible to anyone else. The meaning a Card might be positive or negative: it might refer to an abundance or a dearth of something. The Diviner must decide what, and draw everything together into a coherent whole. The method of Divination is incidental; any method will work. The one chosen should reflect what the question is dealing with, and the subject.
THE SIGNIFICATOR
Most Divinations involve choosing a Significator, a Card to symbolize the subject of a Divination. That card is usually placed, face-up, somewhere important in the Divination array. A few methods of Divination, usually those where a question is asked about someone else, require two Significators: one for the subject, and one for the object. The suit of the Significator is chosen quite simply. The concept that the Divining question deals with becomes the suit of the Significator. Questions about power, position, etc., are Spades; those concerning wealth, material gain, etc., are Diamonds; those concerning mental capacity, religion, etc., are Clubs; and those concerning emotional issues are Hearts. The rank of the Significator is chosen by simple rules: If the subject is a mature male, the King. If a mature female, the Queen. If a young man, a Jack; if a young woman, the Ten. A child would use an Ace.
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Thus if a young man is asking about his relationship with an amour, his Significator would be the Jack of Hearts.
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+----+ | | | 5. | | | +----+
+----+ | | | 3. | | | Significator +----+ +----+ / and 1. | | / | 9. | +----+ +----+ | | +------+ | | +----+ | 2. | | 6. | +------+ | | +----+ +----+ +----+ | | | 8. | +----+ | | | | +----+ | 4. | | | +----+ +----+ | | | 7. | | | +----+
1. This covers one. 2. This crosses one. 3. This crowns one. 4. This is beneath one. 5. This is behind one. 6. This is before one. 7. Oneself. 8. One's environment -- family, friends. 9. One's hopes and fears. 10. The culmination of all preceding influences; the outcome.
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1. That which is opposing one and in the past. 2. That which is affecting one and in the past. 3. That which is assisting one and in the past. 4. The transition from the past to the present. 5. That which is opposing one and in the present. 6. That which is affecting one and in the present. 7. That which is assisting one and in the present. 8. The transition from the present to the future. 9. That which is opposing one and in the future. 10. That which is affecting one and in the future. 11. That which is assisting one and in the future.
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1. That which has affected the subject. 2. That which is affecting the subject. 3. That which will affect the subject. 4. That which has affected the object. 5. That which is affecting the object. 6. That which will affect the object. 7. The Resolution Card.